Jarlara Mountains
The Jarlara Mountains are a range of peaks that cut across the north of Farthrone and serve as the primary division between the north of the continent and the centre. They are home to a variety of races that live both above and below the surface. It is named for the city of Jar Lara which lies within its central peaks. History The Jarlara Mountains have over its history been controlled by various factions over the years as kingdoms that rule from a seat in the mountains, such as the Kingdom of Jar Lara, or as part of foreign empires that claim the region such as the Orjeri Union. Fall of Turath For more on this, see here. Following the collapse of the Empire of Turath the many former dwarven slaves of the of fiends fled to the mountains, led by Durgeddin the Black. Legends speak of the clan of Durgeddin doing battle with orcs and trolls, likely also victims of the Blood War, before reaching the great mountains north of Source where the great battles that ended the Empire took place. Durgeddin founded the fortress of Dol Borim, named for his son who he had lost in the fight against the orcs. There the clan began to mine and built its own domain, spread deeper and deeper into the earth, eventually encountering the duergar peoples of Mol Gurihm, whom they came into conflict with over resources and being driven into wars by the schemes of other races. Shardfall For more on this, see here. Dol Borim was raided by a powerful orc tribe that briefly occupied the stronghold, tunneling their way into the city in a long fought siege, much of the dwarf's wealth was stolen by the orcs. Only the intervention of a group of Champions from the Orjeri Union prevented the entire population being put to the sword. In desperation the king of the dwarves asked the king of the duergar for aid to help rebuild. Agreeing, the duergar king requested that outsiders serve as mediators, the Orjeri Champions being asked to fulfill the role. During the course of the negotiations, the Union itself became more and more involved in the affairs of both races, eventually exerting such control as to force a peace between the two peoples. The two kingdoms, in conjunction with the Engineer Guild, began work on Jar Lara, a great city where their could be united as one people. For generations they lived in peace with the Union taming the lands where orcs and monsters had threatened the dwarves, whilst also delving into the Boneways to fend of threats from below. Fall of the Union For more on this, see here. Following the collapse of the Union after the Black Cloud destroyed Orjer City, both the dwarves of the west and the duergar of the east immediately struck out into the ruins of Jar Lara to recover the crown and the gold hoard. The two sides inevitably clashed and have been in a state of constant war since then over the ruins of the city their once shared. Both have had their society and culture profoundly shaped by the conflict between their two people with everyone expected to contribute to the war, every moment of their existence consumed with ending the lives of their enemies. Forges of Fury For more on this, see here. The mountain is entered by a group of dwarves from Dol Borim seeking the Crown of Durgeddin. On the way the see the echos of their people and their long standing enemy, the duergar carved into the very stones if their kin's former kingdom. Cities Jar Lara This city located in the centre of the mountain range is responsible for giving the range its name as the most prominent culture in the region. It has since fallen into ruin following a civil war between the dwarves and duergar of the mountains after the discovery of an ancient artefact beneath the city. The Mountain Door The uppermost levers of the cavern complex that make up Jar Lara, this region has been claimed by a tribe of fierce orcs, led by a brutal ogre known as Great Ulfe. Glitterhame The largest level of Jar Lara, the Glitterhame is an expanse of beautiful natural caverns now infest by troglodytes and other cave dwelling monsters. The Sinkhole The major entrance into the Boneways within Jar Lara. Streams in Glitterhame descend to an underground river, which runs through a series of tunnels and caverns and pours down into the darkness beneath. The Foundry Beyond Glitterhame lies a complex of chambers and passageways carved by the earliest of dwarven and duergar settlers in the mountain. The secrets of the ancient forge are of great interest to the neighbouring cities of Dol Borim and Mol Gurihm, recently a band of duergar have begun working on restoring the ancient forges where a great crevasse drops to the Black Lake below. The Black Lake Where the waters flow down into the Boneways, a great lake of still black water stands cold and silent in the dark. Here is where the hoard of the dragon had been found that divided the city and drove it to ruin. Some cruel creature now sleeps atop the stolen gold, its original owner, the red dragon, a great skeleton that now sleeps at the bottom of the lake. Dol Borim For more information on this topic, see here. This is the capital of the loosely defined state of the south western dwarven kingdom. It is located just below the surface of the mountain Borim. Mol Gurihm For more information on this topic, see here. This is the capital of the north eastern duergar kingdom of the mountains. It is located deep below the mountain Gurihm. Religion Burial Rites The people of Jar Lara city believed that when one of their own died they should be honoured in a sepulcher, with even the lowliest of folk being interned in stone sarcophagi with their worldly possessions. In the final days of the conflict that tore the people of Jar Lara apart, the city built many such tombs for its people, only for most never to be placed in them. Geography The Jarlara Mountains are known for their steep mountains and jagged ridges with many hidden passages through the high cliffs. The Source, the main river that feeds the Lattice stems from these mountain ranges. Landmarks Some important land marks in Jarlara include; * Kakusa * The Shadowed Knife Category:Landmark Category:Farthrone Category:Location Category:Orjeri Union Category:Boneways